New York state has been hurt by a loss of trade in reaction to tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump as well as a loss of tourism due to administration policies and the hostile attitude shown by Trump toward Canada and other countries, according to a study by the office of New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli.
DiNapoli’s analysis showed that in 2025 the number of overseas tourists coming to New York fell by about 3%, to about 12.5 million. The impact was especially felt by areas near the Canadian border, since travel from Canada fell by more than 21%, a decrease of nearly 3.6 million visitors. Exports to Canada also declined by $3.8 billion due to tariffs.
DiNapoli found that the tourism decline is hurting the state’s economy, as fewer visitors means less spending and a smaller number of jobs in hotels and restaurants.
“Federal policies are driving foreign travelers away and taking billions in tourism spending and harming our economy as exports substantially decline,” DiNapoli said. “That loss of revenue means fewer jobs in New York and tougher times for those working in the tourism industry. New York is a top destination for tourists to the U.S., and policies that welcome and encourage international travel are needed to avoid damaging economic consequences.”
Along with the decline in international visitors, DiNapoli’s report found a drop of 18.2% in the number of visitors to New York’s national park sites in 2025, according to the National Park Service. Attendance at state parks fell by more than 2.3 million in 2025, led by declines at Jones Beach, Bear Mountain, and Niagara Reservation, according to the New York State Office for Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation.
DiNapoli’s report found that total spending in New York by international travelers did not grow in 2025 but was the same as in 2024 when it reached nearly $17 billion. Hotel occupancy fell 1.2% in 2025. In 2024, there were over 932,400 private sector jobs in New York in industries associated with international travel, paying over $45.4 billion in wages. Nearly three-quarters of the employment (74.2%) was in accommodation and food services. Through September 2025, average employment in these industries had increased by only 0.2% over the same period in 2024, compared with private sector job growth of 1% from 2025 to September 2025 in all other industries in the state.
DiNaploi found that as a result of new tariff policies implemented under the Trump administration in 2025, exports involving more than two-thirds of product categories from New York declined. Exports to 46.1% of the countries with which New York trades declined; those to Canada decreased by $3.8 billion and to Israel by $1.4 billion. While Belgium is not one of the state’s largest trading partners, it had a 36.5% decline in imports from New York in 2025. There was growth reported in exports from New York to the United Kingdom, Switzerland and Hong Kong but not enough to eliminate the overall drop that came to $3.4 billion.
In the New York State Fiscal Year 2027 Executive Budget, Gov. Kathy Hochul included a proposal to provide $30 million in direct payments to farmers impacted by tariffs. In addition, she has called on the federal administration to refund tariffs to New York households as a result of the Supreme Court decision striking down the tariffs Trump imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. DiNapoli has joined other financial officers in advocating for a clear and timely mechanism to reimburse affected taxpayers, businesses, and industries, including restitution for financial losses suffered by state governments.
